Talk:Stories/@comment-5166794-20140807210601
(Really, though. I think Ivy and Thomas are much better as friends.) Empathy, Damnit! They were sitting across next to each other in the Transfiguration Courtyard on stone benches which was practically the same color of the sky. The ‘they’ was Thomas and a disconcerting Carmen lookalike. “Okay, Thomas. If you want to figure out how should treat her, first you have to know how she feels about you. Right? For the sake of this, I will be playing the beautiful Carmen Elizabeth November!” Ivy teased, changing her plaid skirt to be maroon instead of navy. She figured her eyes were blue enough to pass for the moment, even though, she thought with a smile, Thomas could easily tell the difference between Carmen and any imitation. Her hair was already charmed to be a reddish brown, pulled into two messy pigtails, and a golden newsboy cap on her haid to complete the look. “Who is someone you don’t exactly hate, but you don’t like? Preferably of the opposite gender, please.” Thomas’s uncomfortableness was painted all over his expression, tone... it was everywhere, almost unbearably so. “You don’t have to do this, you know. I never asked you to try and teach me more about ‘empathy’. Also, how do you know her middle name?” “I was looking through some papers... What? The professor just left them out for people to see! It’s so unfair to have so many Ravenclaws in our year. Carmen is the top of our class for Transfiguration, Charms, and History of Magic! She’s not for Divination - Niall is - which I thought was kind of weird...” She looked back at Thomas and lowered her voice in worry, “Doesn’t everyone do that?” His expression clearly said No. She quickly changed the subject, “I’m trying to help you out here! Right, I should be quieter, but still kind of at ease? She’s usually at ease with you, right?” Ivy avoided using the word ‘was’ as much as possible, and offered a small smile. “Just name a name, will you, Thomas? Someone you don’t hate, but don’t like. Again, please not a girl.” “Er, Oz? But, really, this is weird.” Ivy ignored him for the most part, determined to keep in character, even if it killed her. “I better get ‘best actress of the year’ award for this,” Sweet, think ‘sweet’. She put the palms of her hands on her knees and let out a controlled giggle. “How’ve you been?” “I’m... okay...” Thomas replied slowly, looking like he was sitting on pins. “I’ve just been hanging out with Kea and Oz lately,” “Ookay...” A long awkward pause followed, “Er, how are they?” “Kea is so excited that her and Niall’s second year anniversary is coming up,” Another giggle, “And I just realized how... ridiculous Oz’s accent is.” It was clear the word on the tip of her tongue was ‘adorable’, or even ‘cute’ - not ridiculous. “He says everything so seriously but, I guess, with a singsong cadence?” another giggle. ‘Carmen’, finally realizing Thomas’s stiffness, asked “What’s wrong?” Thomas bit back a snort. “Nothing.” “You can tell me anything! What’s the matter? ...Why are you laughing?” After recovering, he replied with a dead-pan, “Just reminded me of something funny is all.” “I wonder how they’re doing... Niall and Kea, I mean,” She added sheepishly, starting to blush. “I’m sure they’re all fine.” He said with an almost completely straight face, which was a major accomplishment on his part. Ivy took off her hat, scrutinizing Thomas’s expression, and said with a psychiatrist like tone “How did that make you feel?” “That. Was. Creepy. And unexpectedly hilarious. Congratulations. You should act in comedies.” Ivy sighed, “Fine! What do you think, then?” “Carmen has a higher voice than you.” She looked like she wanted to hit him for a moment. “What else do you think?” “Someone has a crush on Oz.” By now it was obvious he was just trying to get on her nerves for the fun of it, but Ivy wasn’t in a mood to put up with it for much longer. “What did you learn?” “Girls really like accents?” He did his best not to laugh at her expression of pure exasperation, but failed. She accented each syllable by slapping him on the arm with her hat, “Em-path-y! You like her? Know that she probably likes you too, but she couldn’t say anything because everyone would’ve hounded her about it and you were so ob-liv-i-ous! That’s the answer! How are you going to treat her now?” Ivy clutched a poor crumpled piece of fabric in her hand menacingly. He held his hands up as if to say I come in peace. “If you keep asking me things in a patronizing tone worthy of Professor Griffin, I’m just going to keep being a smart alec. Just warning you.”